Subject: MEDIEVAL BREAD INFO

From: [email-masked] (Richard S. Celestre)
Date: 31 May 1994 23:37:41 GMT

I am looking for information/primary source material for medieval
(900-1500ish) breads.  I realize that actual recipies are
near-to-impossable, but info on methods and ingredients would be useful. 
I'm going to enter a competition this fall, and documentation is required. 
Anyone who helps will probably get themselves listed in the credits when I
present my documentation.  Reply here or email me at [email-masked].

-Direwolf

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From: [email-masked] (DDFr)
Date: 1 Jun 1994 00:05:02 -0400

Richard S. Celestre asks about period bread recipes. The following is
my wife's worked out version of the description of how to make bread
in Platina (late fifteenth century Italian).
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On Bread 
Platina pp. 13-14

... Therefore I recommend to anyone who is a baker that he use flour
from wheat meal, well ground and then passed through a fine seive to
sift it; then put it in a bread pan with warm water, to which has
been added salt, after the manner of the people of Ferrari in Italy.
After adding the right amount of leaven, keep it in a damp place if
you can and let it rise. ... The bread should be well baked in an
oven, and not on the same day; bread from fresh flour is most
nourishing of all, and should be baked slowly.

flour 6 3/4 c: 1 c whole wheat, 5 1/4 c white at first, 1/2 c later
warm water 2 1/4 c
salt T
sourdough 1 1/2 c

Put sourdough in a bowl. Add warm (not hot!) water and salt, mix. Add
whole wheat flour, then white, 1 or 2 c at a time, first stirring in
with a wooden spoon and then kneading it in. Cover with a wet towel,
set aside. Let rise overnight (16-20 hours). Turn out on a floured
board, shape into 2 round loaves, working in another 1/2 c or so of
flour. Let rise again in a warm place for an hour. Bake at 350x about
50 minutes. Made 2 loaves, about 8" across, 3"-4" thick, about 1.5
lb, or three smaller loaves.

Worked out version by Elizabeth Cook, aka Elizabeth of Dendermond.

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From: [email-masked] (Sharon A Palmer)
Date: 1 Jun 1994 05:07:44 GMT

>flour 6 3/4 c: 1 c whole wheat, 5 1/4 c white at first, 1/2 c later

Thanks for the reciipe.

I plan on trying this with Indian Chappati flour.  It has some
of the bran sifted out, but includes the germ.  It is a soft golden
color and makes lovely bread.  I believe it's make from a soft wheat,
so a little gluten flour might help.

Sharon Palmer